Chaos Isn't In The Criminals
by mangachick1
Summary: Members of the Bat Clan find themselves in a different universe, with their only chance of getting home under lock and key in a facility protected by the Governement. *cutesy family, more for the banter than the logic*
1. Jason Todd

_A/N:_

 _well, hi. There are a few spoilers in here for 'Batman and Robin #38' and then I changed a couple timelines around because creative liberty, so hopefull in further chapters it'll get a bit clearer. This is just a clear my head fic while I'm working on a couple others, i literally cannot chill, im working on three large stories right now. i've just finished high school with no real future prospects so well, this is how I cope, ce la vista._

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Jason couldn't feel his face. It was real bad considering his helmet was smashed to glaciers beneath his gloves. He checked his nose, and yep, blood trickled from a blistering gash over his nose. He couldn't remember what he'd done to deserve it.

Had been exceptionally an ass to someone? Had he popped a few too many in the scum of the earth's heads? He really couldn't recall. It didn't feel like a Batman break.

But he did recall something, and it wasn't making much sense.

It had to do with this stone and the fate of world hanging in the balance, again. You'd think villains would get off on something else once in a while, just to spruce up the sex life.

He felt a palm on his shoulder and Jason kicked out, flipping into a crouch when it missed, fist at the pointless ready. He exhaled, "Warn a guy, Cass." His sister – and he used the term extremely loosely without the technical babble and company – stepped back, a deep gash running through the bicep of her Black Bat suit.

"You should get that checked," Jason pointed out.

Cass noticed it, dismissed it and carried the fuck on. She nudged the body next to him, and Jason noted nearly the whole clan was here to experience the fuck up. Definitely a bonding experience, Alfred would be so proud.

He unlatched the helmet, rubbing at the bruise forming on his neck with a grimace. Timbre grunted, leveling up onto his side and blinked groggily at Jason. He waved a mocking salute, "Fancy seeing you here."

Timmy did the whole checking the area before rocking upwards, his cape a little burnt off. "Where are we?" he checked a gash on his eyebrow.

"No fucking clue," Jason shrugged.

His little brother grunted at his lack of answers, always needing to know everything right off the bat. Jason liked the twist and turns, especially when he had a hand on all of them. So he beamed like it was the fucking holidays, clambering onto his feet.

Jason stretched, yanking Timmy to his feet when, "I'm fine, Cain." Well, little demon brat had woken up all on his lonesome, and sounded almost pleasant while doing it.

"Knew you had a soft spot for Cassie," Jason grinned. He knew it would aggravate the tiniest demon, fists stuffed inside his pockets while Timmy surveyed their surroundings.

It was a high ceiling cave of some kind, man-made and legit barren, there wasn't much to look at. Once the gang were all on their feet, they'd head out and be separated until the next crisis. Jason liked it.

Demon brat, garbed in the Robin attire with the fucking forest boots and the permanent smirk, mentioned. "Cain is, at least, worthy of Father's name which is not something I can say for the likes of you."

"Really," Tim deadpanned, "You haven't mentioned it."

Poor Timbre's, so young and with so little hope to not expend energy, like a grouchy old man. He was correct about demon brat but still, Jason liked pointing it out.

Damian scrunched up his nose, like he didn't understand sarcasm, which was priceless and maybe the tiniest bit precious. "You got a gash right here," Jason pointed at his own chin, and Damian rubbed at the cut in irritation.

Cassie grabbed Stephanie's arm, tugging her to her very sore feet. "This sucks, why does this suck?" Stephanie groaned. She had a cut running through her knee, and she scratched it absently.

"That's life," Jason preached.

Stephanie didn't approve of his message, shaking out the pain in her limbs and appraised the empty room they'd found themselves in, utterly unimpressed.

Tim poked his neck and Jason shoved him off, "We've all got a cut. Double edged blade, slim, probably a five to ten inch dagger." Timmy made it difficult to be around him when he went all Batman on him.

"You find that out yourself, Drake?" Demon Brat muttered.

Cassie halted the fight with a step forward, "You remember?"

"End of the world shtick," Stephanie checked. Yeah, Jason didn't like it too much either. Stephanie crossed her arms, shimming right up to Damian. "What about you munchkin, remember any creepy dudes blabbering about stones?"

Cassie nodded; mask concealing all the little nuances Jason slaved to catch. Demon brat's tiny old man nose scrunched, "I recall. He said our entire universe is at stake, it's not something I'll forget."

"Kid, can it with sarcasm, we're all opening these cans of worms and none of us want to eat it," Jason informed.

Stephanie blinked, "That was like surprisingly eloquent." Cassie exhaled from behind her thick mask, pinching Stephanie's elbow in retribution. She rubbed at the offended appendage and Cassie tilted her head, Stephanie somehow reading that and exhaled with a short nod.

Now that that is all done, Jason breached a grin. "Always happy to surprise," he charmed.

"Did he tell you where the stone was hidden?" Timmy jumped right back in, already taking out his glove computer and fiddling with it. He searched databases, throwing up newspapers and GPS coordinates.

Stephanie grumbled, "It's always got to be hidden."

Timbre shot ramrod, quickly skimping through the cavern despite protests, "Timmy!" Stephanie groaned, followed by Damian's growled, "Drake."

"Hurry up," Tim shot back, practically bolting for the exit. So Jason swiveled on his heel, patted his guns and magazines, and followed Tim's poor life choices to watch the show down.

Jason clambered the stairs and hit the rooftop, wind hissing at their disturbing forms and Timmy stood rigid at the twinkling skyline. It was Gotham; Jason would recognize his city burnt to a crisp and blacked out, a little further away than usual was nothing.

He even caught a whiff of polluted sea water carrying out from over the bridge, "You're freaking me out, Timbre." Gotham looked like Gotham, a fucking mess of permanent ominous clouds at shallow lights.

"Look closely," Timmy insisted. His fists were clenched and Jason stuffed his fists under his armpits, he wasn't getting frostbite for Timmy's inability to just tell him what had him in a ditz.

Damian and the girls finally caught up and switched to the view, "We're staring at Gotham, okay," Stephanie muttered.

Realization didn't creep up to Jason, it was just sort of there. He'd thought it was the angle, but Jason knew Gotham, because he'd lived those streets. That apartment complex had gone done a few months back, and that tower needed a dozen more layers, and that tower would lose a couple layers off the top thanks to a visit from Superman.

Gotham was perfect, untouched by the years that he hadn't seen the glaring fault.

"Timmy what's the year?" he didn't want to ask. But Jason could write a book on the amount of shit he did that he didn't want to do.

Tim swallowed and raised a brow, "According to Google? September, 2011."

Jason slapped his headache before it appeared, groaning into his other hand when Stephanie yanked Tim's glove computer to read it herself and Cassandra took a step towards the edge of the roof. She didn't get far due to Damian's clutching her sleeve, in a rather frozen figure.

Could they just not do this? "Timbre where's the stone?" Please don't say in the heart of Gotham, or the goddamn Bat Cave. Jason would step on a crack, get in over his head and then mini-him die unexpectedly crossing the road.

"It's not in Gotham," Tim assured.

The little demon brat breathed an almost hidden sigh of relief, rounding closer for information. "You're doing the 'bad news' pause, why are you doing the 'bad news' pause?" Stephanie questioned, growing more startled by the minute.

Tim got this close to pouting, "I don't have a 'bad news' pause."

"Timbre, you got a bunch of tells and you stalling is just another," Jason pointed out.

His little brother's eyebrow arched the way holding back all their examinations to finally shrug, "It's in Metropolis." Timmy liked watching them squirm, the absolute bastard.

"You're going to tell us this stone is in the Daily Planet next," Stephanie laughed anxiously. Thankfully, Jason's got to live another day when Tim grimaced with a shake of his head.

Little Bro scratched at his jawline, "The United States Government found the shards years ago. They've only just begun experimenting on one in Metropolis in a facility on the outskirts."

"They won't prove much of an obstacle," Damian mentioned. It might even be counting as assisting gang moral here, which might be hitting rock bottom.

The information was ringing a little familiar, and Jason realized what that odd rock top hat guy wanted them to liberate was. "It's a chaos shard," he said. This was actually really bad; they couldn't give the guy that.

Damian fingers flickered up to pressed at his sternum where Bruce had shoved one of those bad boys inside his chest and life had been returned to him. "You mean the rock that brought…" Stephanie trailed off with a glance at Damian's scowl. "Oh, we can't give that creep that."

"Exactly," Tim-Boo mentioned, "But without it, we might not have a way back home."

Jason shifted, brushing Cassie's elbow and thankfully not been reacquainted with the ceiling and then abruptly the floorboards. He'd had a splitting headache for the rest of that day and all for poking her shoulder while she was lost in thought.

It didn't happen often, but with Bruce out of the picture, Jason knew she wasn't feeling too good about the absence.

Stephanie shivered, "Creepy dude didn't need the literal chaos shard to stuff us here to steal it for him." Her blond hair whipped from beneath her Batgirl cowl, "We even certain we're all really here?"

"I would've sensed an illusion, Brown," Damian grumbled. But he looked a little shifty, worried that all his bases hadn't been cleared. He couldn't be older than ten and he had an ego almost as large as Bruce's.

Cassie nodded, "Not illusion. It's all real."

And if Cassie called it true, the world damn well would be true.

"Since when do we give the bad guy what they want?" Stephanie asked.

As the resident bad guy Jason knew they might not have much a choice. Didn't mean they had to give the fucker everything though, "How we getting back then? I don't know about you but I'm not walking around while mini-me steals tires back there."

"He brought us here, so he can take us back," Cassie figured. Jason shrugged, that was his two cents.

He didn't trust anyone proficient in time travel enough to bring them into the loop, and those closing in with connections hadn't donned a cape yet in fucking 2011. Tim opened a calculations pocket on his computer, "Maybe I could send a distress signal through the time stream."

Damian scoffed, "Even if that was to succeed you'd be painting a target on our backs and I don't plan on deceasing here." Demon brat just never cooled it, which Jason got five thousand percent, he was all for the rebellious phase. But why at Timmy, he was most well-adjusted and productive of the lot of them.

Tim partially glared at the kid, "I don't hear you volunteering any alternative," the other part was all exasperation.

"We could just get the shard," Jason shrugged. "Keep a hold of it until he takes us back."

"Because that plan, always works exceptionally well," Damian hissed.

Stephanie squeezed Damian's shoulder, despite him moving out of her reach. "You got another plan, yeah I didn't think so. We've survived up till now on half-baked plans, we'll get through this one."

That didn't sound particularly ill-boding, without a struggle they'd find themselves locked up and waiting for the camera's to turn off. Then again, they'd just get out of that one, or at least he would.

* * *

 _A/N:_

 _let's try and get the next chapter for next week, or a few days, i don't know, shouldn't be too long this, just a three shot :)_


	2. Stephanie Brown

_A/N:_

 _I've decided from now one, no matter what fandom i will always write from Stephanie's POV. I might just marry her._

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So, infiltrating a highly secured government facility was actually maybe a bit easier than it should have been, and Stephanie didn't say that lightly. It had the steel doors, allegedly super encrypted passwords, an overactive amount of motions sensors and heavily armed personal.

It was a well-guarded facility all round. It was just…it obviously didn't expect five bats and birds to swoop down and liberate its secrets, which is where it utterly failed.

Timmy just had to type in a few codes and the steel doors welcomed them hither. Not even mentioning the motion sensors that got looped before they'd even hit the heavily fenced perimeter, and the heavily armed personnel? "Laughable, painfully laughable," Stephanie affirmed.

Jason tightened zip ties over a guard's wrist, "Think they want it off their hands?"

"They'd be idiots if they did," Damian practically grumbled. He was so cute with that frown worming his puffy cheeks, Stephanie was hard pressed to recall not to just smooch them when he back talked.

Timmy directed them down a dimly lit narrow hallway, and Stephanie said. "You sure about that," from experience the hallway with the flickering light bulb led to disaster.

"We need the elevator; it's about twenty stories underground."

Jason released a pent up groan, "Now you tell us?" And Stephanie totally agreed.

"I just decrypted the information," Tim faced them with exasperation. Cassie just took point as the elevator beckoned them hither. There might be something about what Jason said.

They all stepped in, and the elevator immediately dropped with Timmy's command. Cassie warmed my side as the light skimmed them with each floor they passed, "Well, this is awkward." Damian just grumbled.

"I could get demon brat to tap dance if you want entertainment," Jason inquired.

Stephanie arched back to check, "Can you really?" Jason cocked his gun and waggled his eyebrows.

"If you point that gun at me I'll be extra certain to break your arm in three places, Todd," Damian threatened.

Stephanie squeezed Cassie' free palm, you know, just for the kinetic kicks. "You're both adorable," she reckoned. "And no names in the field, what would the grouch say?" she spotted rather than heard Timmy snicker. Stephanie knew he'd like that.

Finally, the elevator's doors spread and a much larger, firmly lit hallway spaced out before them, with a duo of doors every five paces. Cassandra took point again, being they're heavy hitter and Timmy just at her back to guide her through the labyrinth.

If anything, the place was less guarded than up top, which was just a grave, grave mistake. In all honesty, it took about five minutes to officially set eyes on the prize, and another two to liberate it inside the protective suitcase.

Jason became the bearer of that, mostly to dishearten him from picking up his handguns, absolute idiot that he was for using them. Timmy alerted them that a silent alarm had gone off as soon as the suitcase was taken when no personnel with clearance to remove it were presence.

The ole elevator shut down with them in it, "Rude," and Damian just busted through the top, floating those few feet he required while they clambered onto the roof of the elevator.

Jason jammed his fingers in the seam of the elevator door, yanking them apart for them all the creep through while Damian snapped the cords of the elevator to destroy evidence.

They were on sublevel 4, only a few dozen meters from freedom and Stephanie's palm sweated beneath her gloves. Essentially they were trapped. Technically, they'd all been trained by Batman and a lucky few trained by Oracle, so they weren't really trapped at all.

Slightly deterred perhaps, but not trapped.

"Don't shake that, Hood," Damian hissed, "Are you attempting to blow us all up?"

"Not all of us," Jason deadpanned.

They also had an actual goddamn chaos shard capable of bringing Damian back to life with Wonder Woman powers, like – trapped didn't even compute. Timmy just kept racing, hitting a large office on that floor and called, "There should be a secondary escape route to the surface."

It took a bit longer than finding the shard had but Cassie found it, pressing down on a figurine on a book shelf and viol 'a. Stephanie high fived her smugly grinning best friend as she passed her dashing up the stairs behind Damian's glide.

Timmy hunkered down beside the exit door as Jason took up the rear, "We waiting on Superman?" Jason inquired incredulously.

"We've already got company," Timmy mentioned. On his wrist computer several blobs had shown up, until an alert came on screen and Timmy grunted. "There's a hacker," his fingers tapped away like crazy.

"Hey, at least it's not Superman," Stephanie nudged Jason, who smirked down at her. Stephanie thought he might like being included and made certain to keep that thought intact.

Timmy released a triumphant grunt, "They're good. But they didn't train under Oracle." That's right!

Timmy kept his ear to the steel door and they all kept silent while he cracked it open. He squandered into a corner, the bright moonlight filtering through the large warehouse windows and certified as they passed him to reach their own shadows.

Stephanie hid behind a large crate of tools while Cassie all but disappeared, and Damian floated up to the high beams for the best vantage point in the house. "No, I definitely heard something," And that wasn't anyone she knew.

She didn't dare peek out, especially since the voice was closer than she'd hope. "Let me check," a female voice ascertained.

Instantly an alarm blared, throwing a flashing red light from behind and a shrill whir. "It's from the sublevel twenty, let's go!" Now that was a different dude than earlier. And Stephanie could just hear footsteps pound from hearing range.

Tim poked his head out the shadow and saluted her with a proud grin. All her friends were too smug for their own good. Course they deserved it, and Stephanie shook her head to salute back a grin.

"Let's go," Cassie murmured.

Stephanie liked this idea. She didn't bother straight out creeping and Jason fell into step beside her as Damian rang along the beams to survey the outside through the windows to ascertain the barren status.

He leaped back down, "It's clear," Damian proclaimed.

And it was, for a whole ten seconds, it was clear. Apparently, Mr. Excellent Hearing from indoors had heard their exit – Batman would be epically pissed, and that's why it would remain a secret.

Damian had clear orders to remain hidden in case of light fixtures and reinforcements. He'd probably listen to that order for a whole of three seconds so they really had to cut it short. His uniform was the most recognizable and it wouldn't do to throw a wrench in the time stream.

Still in that small window Jason had tossed the suitcase to Damian and stood, to all his ridiculous height on top of a lone crate, guns at the prepared. Stephanie and Cassie hid on the sidelines with Timmy slinking into an abandoned vehicle, just as the reinforcements arrived.

"I can't believe they out-hacked me!" A tiny, tiny kid exclaimed, and Stephanie wondered how he wasn't in bed at this hour. She poked a head from behind the crate and promptly squeezed Cassie's ankle in attempt to not squeal.

He was just so cute, and tiny, and was that his nose – it was adorable! Why hadn't Dick boasted on how munchkin he was during his tenure as Robin? It was horrifying and momentous and fantabulous, Stephanie wouldn't trade it for the world.

Actually, she hadn't meant that. Stephanie definitely wished the world would not end abruptly without hope of salvation.

So it wasn't really a huge shame Jason sucked the focus with his freakish height, shoulder ratio and apparent waggling of his guns. Though Stephanie required picture proof immediately, where was Timmy's camera when you needed it? "Well," Jason snickered and jerked his handguns for come hither, "What the fuck you waiting for?"

That's no language used in the company of children, Stephanie would snitch to Alfred. Don't think she wouldn't.

Technically, they didn't need to beat the squad with mini, tiny-tiny bouncy Robin. All it took were several diversions and then a couple kick butt KO's.

You see, the furious Hunk Trunk tackled Jason, who laughed, overtime equipped to apprehend a raging Meta. Superman's Clone was zilch when Jason's best friend was a goddess with wicked flaming hair and emerald eyeballs.

Like puh-lease…

Getting Kid Flash out was up to Timmy, he just strapped some digital trucks on the premise and let them speed off towards the nearest town. Kid Flash yelled, "I got it!" as he bolted.

And then there were four.

Stephanie practically heard Damian's teeth grind from his hidden position. Tattoo Hunk nearly flushed her out, literally with sea water and everything, but Cassie got behind him. He was done for in two moves. That's just how it rolled.

Ms. Freckles Martian had the neatest outfit; it lacked eggplant obviously, but that cape! It really extenuated everything right, and Stephanie dearly missed her Spoiler uniform.

Stephanie nearly didn't miss flying projectiles at her person, "Is that anyway you treat a guest?" she sniped. It was natural at this point. Probably shouldn't keep their voices on file. Did Robin have a built in recorder for missions yet?

Awesome Blondie readied her bow, "When my guests steal from me?" She smirked as her arrow centered on Stephanie in the Warehouse's shadow, "Yeah."

That wasn't a regular arrow. Stephanie leaped up, clipping stones to constantly shift so Awesome Blondie wouldn't get a clear shot. And unleashed smoke pellets when she leaped from above, tacking on a sharp bat-a-rang just to cut off Awesome Blondie's retreat.

Instead Stephanie flopped into smoke, pinpointing the coughing Blondie and utilizing all Batgirl shticks to subdue her with the smoke still intact.

Stephanie distantly heard Ms. Freckles Martian shouting about Robin.

Hopefully, it meant that that cutie pie was hunkered down for bed.

Stephanie retrieved her used weapons and kicked Awesome Blondie's bow far from her grip if she'd awaken earlier than expected. She ducked as Hunk Trunk ricocheted off the Warehouse bricks to dent the hastily set cement.

Not everyone could say they took on Superman's clone and left with a bruised rib.

Cassie had a panting Ms. Freckles Martian cornered, not by a wall or anything breakable as that. But by her limbs until Ms. Freckles Martian threw up an arm to block an attack that would have ended this. Cassie slammed back, "Leave my teammates alone!" Ms. Freckles Martian swiveled.

Stephanie's spine shivered. And right there, Stephanie thought it might have ended. Not because she doubted their abilities but because those green eyes wouldn't permit escape.

It was dumb luck Damian was an impatient and stubborn munchkin. He descended from the rooftops shadow and clamped hard over Ms. Freckles' spine, where she staggered. Cassie dashed forward, barely a shadow, to clutch at a nerve cluster, and it was done.

Now, they just had to get the hell out of dodge.

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 _A/N:_

 _well, i said the update would be soon, this might be a tinies bit bigger than a three shot, sigh. I always seem to make them grow when it goes well and then i don't finish, let's hope im not you wanna review, pls do, im gravely insecure and require the validation_


	3. Damian Wayne

_A/N:_

 _what did I tell you, here's the latest chapter, next one should be out soon, by any luck, this will be long finished by the end of next week! whoop whoop, two more chapters :D - if you spot any typos or mistakes pls tell me, don't flame (don't be a douche)_

 _oh and I uploaded a young justice one shot, which is why this chapter wasn't earlier. have fun ya'll_

* * *

"What you grumbling about Demon Bird?" Todd exhaled, as if Damian were the grand bane on his existence. Todd couldn't have been furthered exposed for attacks, head thrown back and muscular arms hung useless at his side.

Damian curled a lip at his conduct, "Your severe incompetence," he responded.

Drake kept typing upon his computer glove, side pressed against Cain as she and Brown chattered. "You'll be there a while," Drake muttered. Todd tossed a pebble and Drake's stomach which he didn't even attempt to dodge.

He continued to amble, back and forth and back and forth, until he halted and glowered at his so called 'siblings' and Brown. "Where is that man?" he crossed his arms. "We've got the precious chaos shard he'd wished and still he doesn't claim it. I suggest we use it to return home without his 'guidance'."

Todd finally straightened and scratched at a crack in the stone tile, "You know how to use it squirt?" Todd interrupted, "Without it blowing up?" It couldn't be that difficult. A chaos shard had brought him to life and bestowed him with gifts, compared to them; he was a well-versed experienced veteran.

Damian's arms tightened and he fought to loosen them at his sides. "I'm far more equipped to handle the shard than any of you," he responded.

Brown rocked forward, clasping her ankles and shrugged. "Maybe," Her sense would be short lived. Damian knew this, "But that isn't saying much. You were kind of d-e-a-d the entire time it was around."

"Why are you spelling that?" Damian grumbled. He didn't understand Brown and he'd be better off not attempting it.

Damian had known Brown would attempt to ruffle his hair. She was predictable and soft, "Because your innocence has got to be protected." Damian hoped his glare could burn off her smooched pout.

"And, don't you have a spelling test come Thursday?" Drake added.

Damian narrowed upon the loathsome Drake. He would only know this if he'd found the schedule his form room teacher had printed out for them. The printed out paper inside of his school bag, inside of his severely off limits room.

Todd barked out a laugh, and Damian's jaw tightened.

Cain's head tilted as Brown cooed, and Damian witnessed them all lose the miniature respect they had for him. That just wouldn't do. "You entered my room, Drake?" Damian spat, but ever so quietly, so as not to set off alarm bells.

Drake lifted his head from that stupid holographic screen with an even stupider expression. He took in Damian's flying stars clenched in his fist and Drake straightened his spine. Yes, that was much better.

Damian could work out some agitation while they pointlessly awaited this man. "Why would I want to go into your room?" Drake asked, barely mulling it over.

Damian's vision narrowed, "I don't hear a denial, Drake." Did Drake not even attempt to placate him? This was unacceptable.

"Would you believe me, if I did?" Drake muttered incredulously.

Damian snorted, "-tut," of course not. It was ludicrous to even voice that thought.

"Have you the shard?"

Damian hadn't sensed the intruder, though he was less at fault than the others who faced him to degreed angles. Todd grinned, much like a shark, pointed fangs and a stupidity in perception, "You kept us waiting." His 'siblings' and Brown, at least, rose into defensive stances.

Evidently, the man who'd kidnapped them from their realm and tacked them onto a truly painstakingly simple mission was not – for the most part- a human mortal. He was in fact an Imp. He would die at Damian's blade for his transgressions.

Fine, not die – would be severely maimed beyond all repair.

He was not though entirely familiar. He was certainly an imp, like that one that bothered that foolish alien in Metropolis. He didn't, though, have the markers of that certain one.

His skin was solid ebony and his hair a platinum silvery white, trailing over his pointed ears and bulbous nose. Damian caught a flash of gold for orbs before they disappeared in the fall of locks. "The chaos shard," he outstretched long fingers for the case.

Cain did not relinquish it. Damian huffed, as if, they would.

"First, we want a few guarantees," Drake uttered. It wasn't a request, by any standard. Todd snickered, leaning back against a counter in the industrial warehouse they'd awoken in.

Imp swiveled his fingers back into his robe and awaited their claim.

Drake eyed him, untrusting at the very least. "First, we want your word you'll return us to our time, and we want the guarantee that you know how do that safely." Damian might have worded a little better, in ways that would have ensured a reply.

Imp's head tilted this way and that, like Alfred the Cat spotting food in Damian's fingers. Until his head bowed regally, "You have my word," he pronounced gutturally.

Damian sensed this Imp was well versed in serving others, just as Damian had suspected. Drake nodded in thanks, "And secondly, we'd like to know whose biding we're actually doing." Todd's grip tightened over his guns.

Imp stilled, the faint brush of his hair halting at the words. Imp was not supposed to let them find out about that. Whoever took them from their realm entirely underestimated Damian's – and perhaps, his 'siblings' plus Brown's – value. This had been a job Damian could complete on his lonesome, easily.

"Keeping tight lipped about it won't help you here," Todd attempted to threaten. His gun knocking absently against his thigh, and he even had the mockingly consoling voice which did nothing to Imp.

Her hip jutted out Brown nodded, "That's true, obviously. But don't worry about it. We just want to get home and know that we aren't destroying one in the process." She squinted at Imp, "You feeling me?"

Todd scowled as his tactic was thrown out. It was a pathetic tactic to begin with, and Brown's urge for sympathies wasn't any better. They were all imbeciles, except perhaps Cain.

Imp revealed his palm again, silently asking for the case. Drake raised a brow, "Not until you tell us who we're being forced to work for with this. As far as I see it, we're all acting against our own wishes. Don't you think we can help you?"

Imp stilled again, his palm flipping downwards dejectedly and his head tilted again. "I do as Master commands," Imp inclined, confusion evident.

"Who is Master?" Brown carelessly asked.

Imp brought his fist closer, as if scared of them. Drake bent onto a knee which was a preposterous move, "We're here to help whoever we can," he intoned. His ploy might have worked. In a world of rainbows and honey suckle.

"You'd betray Master," Imp didn't so much as ask. His wrist clacked in a swift movement.

At first Damian didn't understand. And then he noticed the slash through the tall warehouse walls and pillars, squiggles of cracking stone breaking upward through the wall and Drake stood as he finally understood his foolishness.

Damian caught Imp absently clicking his fingers, and suddenly the case holding the chaos shard appeared in the palm of his hand. Cain lunged for it, knocking Imp across the stone as the ceiling dusted them. Damian jumped into the fray to distract Imp as Cain vanished in the chaos of falling stone.

"Hood," Drake shouted. And Todd barreled into him to knock him off a large patch of ceilings path. Imp had disappeared in a blink of an eye, and the warehouse gave off roaring groans as its top half caved in.

Damian heard Todd grunt at added pressure over his spine, dust choking the little air left beneath Todd's straining arms. "Todd," he hissed.

Damian lit the flashlight upon his belt, illuminating the miniscule space left barricaded from caving in by Todd's stubborn form. He'd actually attempted to save him. It was unnecessary obviously but Todd had attempted to save him.

Grayson attempted to save him. Todd attempted to kill him. And he attempted to kill Todd.

It was odd, and unexpected, and not what he'd planned.

"Todd," he began, squirming out from beneath the shaking arms. Damian ignored the raspy negative. He might as well, "Hold still." And Damian pushed upward, throwing off the stones to expose dusty sunlight and relieving the burden off Todd's back.

Todd rocked onto his heels, panting as his large shoulders shook out their discomfort. He steadied a bright teal gaze on Damian, "Forgot for a second you were a demon." He shrugged, and then winced at the act. "Real glad I paid for that extra layer of Kevlar," he breathed a sigh of relief.

Todd plodded onto his behind, "That was foolish," Damian muttered. Todd had always been odd, hadn't he? Grayson would want him to thank him, for saving his life despite how unnecessary that action was. "Thank you," he bit out, "I presume."

"Don't hurt yourself," Todd snickered. He pressed fingers to his ribs to check for breaks. He might just be a more imbecilic than Drake.

Brown raced up to them, relief evident, and "I thought creep-o had zapped you." She gestured a thumb where Drake assisted Cain to stand, "We need to scram, like ASAP. Come on," Brown grabbed Todd's arm and slung it over her shoulder, practically willing them forward as Todd grunted.

Damian kept pace, "Where's the case?" he interrogated.

"Mr. Creep-O got it," Brown beamed.

It wasn't a divine plan of dues ex machine, and yet it happened to work. Imp's Master had to be an extremely foolish man for underestimating them so thoroughly. They'd simply switched the Chaos Shard's container for another, which they stashed several clicks East of their current position.

A grade C ape could see though the plan with enough intention.

Todd grunted, "Don't believe he actually fell for it." Damian didn't approve that they had the same sentiments.

Cain skimmed dark locks behind her air as they trailed through the dim underbrush of the abandoned town across Gotham's bridge. "Maybe this, his plan," Cain offered.

Drake took Todd off Brown's shoulder and frowned, "To what, take a useless case and leave us here?" It was a preposterous idea, though not what Cain insinuated and it took Drake long moments to understand that. "Oh," he blinked wide, "You think we're supposed to be left here?"

Cain acknowledged his words.

Damian floated forward, already digging the casing they'd stashed the chaos shard back up. "We've got to figure out how that shtick works," Brown grumbled, scuffing her boots.

Drake shrugged and Todd grunted at the movement, "Right now. I think we should find out what B thinks about this."

"How about no," Todd grumbled. Drake smirked at him and adjusted his hold on Todd's arm.

"You can't be serious, Drake," Damian scowled. He would not have Father look at him like an enemy, not any longer. Not without a perfectly logical and reasonable explanation on why that fact was to happen. He clung to the casing as Brown kicked dirt back into the hole it'd left.

Drake's smirk tipped crooked, which usually meant Damian would have to maim him to shut his mouth. "I didn't say we had to talk to him," he responded.

And yes, okay, that was much more efficient.

Todd whistled, "You want to play covert on ole' Bats?" he grinned, sharp canines and sharper laughter. He knocked into Drake, "I knew there was a reason you're my favorite." Not like anyone was fighting for the role.

Cain nodded, "I like it," she insisted.

And Brown giggled, waggling her brows and throwing an arm over Cain's shoulders. "I'm so in. Well pipsqueak," her blue orbs glittered over Damian. "You want to prove one off over your old man?"

Damian barely dignified that with an answer. It would be a grand opportunity to prove to Father that with the years he could take on his role. He nodded, "You'll require my help," he informed.

Todd just laughed.


	4. Cassandra Cain

_Well yes, it has been a while but only for two reasons: 1. I didn't really like this chapter and 2. I finished writing the story and decided to give it to you in a boom. the last chapter should load soon so stay tuned. I just love Cassandra, like officially love her and I think that's why I can't write her for shit because it isn't good enough anywa, i will suceeded when all else fails!_

* * *

Cassandra didn't wish to say everything wasn't falling according to plan. That would indicate that even they – trained under Batman – hadn't a suitable contingency plan. It was true, though no less aggravating to admit.

It had begun simply enough.

But all plans began like that. They infiltrated the base known as Mount Justice, knowing it was the easiest location to access the Bat Computer in. Bat Cave would be much too difficult to enter without disturbing alarms and the Watch Tower would be too large a station to secure, and would be needed in case of a global crisis.

And they'd already partially revealed themselves to the occupants of Mount Justice. It was a logical maneuver to follow through with. It'd felt right.

They'd split up upon entering, keeping to radio silence until Tim and Stephanie took control of all security measures. Cassandra slid the USB port into the computer box in the engine room, and a second later, her best friend had perked up: " _We all here_?"

" _Unfortunately_ ," Jason hissed.

He'd been forced into the upper vents as heroes bypassed his hiding spot and his large frame didn't approve. Cassandra smiled, ducking out from behind where she'd crouched and angling up to enter the vents as well. "Here," she whispered.

Cassandra made the long trek upwards, shoveling towards the higher levels to get into position for a healthy dose of reconnaissance. " _Present_ ," Damian grumbled.

Damian had yet to catch sight of Batman, and while he was terrified to confront his father he still very much wished to witness him with his own gaze. He'd never seen Batman that young, not in person and he was intrigued to see if the resemblance between them was more profound.

Damian was very simple to read. Most children were, Cassandra had found. " _And here,"_ Tim finished, " _We all in position_?"

"Close," Cassandra affirmed just as Jason grumbled, " _Hang on_."

Cassandra overhead the familiar scrape tug of Jason yanking himself though the ventilation system, while she crawled through the system at a much easier angle towards her expected location.

Batman stood, firmly inside the light of the arena beside the Zeta-Beam with holographic windows opened beside him depicting the failure for the Team. He wasn't angry at them, which was something Cassandra didn't witness often in these situations. He was more indignant that his Team hadn't collected enough data.

That was something Cassandra had heard about.

Through the shafts of the air vents, Cassandra observed the Team they'd faced off at that government facility. They were all younger than Jason, with little to no instinct to guard their bodies' tells.

Not that much could be done for that. It didn't matter how Batman wished that weren't true or how Timmy shut the emotions behind a mask.

Her mentor wasn't pleased, "How is it that no one on this team has a positive description of the perpetrators?"

Kid Flash – indignant and nervous – muttered to Robin – much smaller and uncertain of his footing with Batman, "There wasn't anything positive about them."

Her mentor narrowed his glare and Jason snickered over the line. Stephanie shushed him, which only made him laugh a little longer. "What about the perpetrator with the guns? Can anyone give me markers?" Bruce truly didn't like Jason's guns. "Super Boy?" he snapped.

Super Boy – withheld frustration and need, so much need, tinged with hurt – straightened his spine but kept his fists inside his pockets for an air of nonchalance. "It's in my report," he returned.

Batman's glare didn't let up. Robin shifted in his position.

"He was about 6 feet, big shoulders, biker clothes; really red helmet gave him away?" Artemis injected.

Batman sucked in a breath and Robin interrupted, "We've written it in the report, B. What's going on?" he was so much younger. He trusted in Batman fully, his shoulders never holding him back from delving to the man's side wholly.

Her mentor worked his jaw, "You've withheld information." His stare was all on Super Boy. Oh, Super Boy definitely had withheld something.

Ms. Martian – full hearted and didn't expect this – hovered closer to Super Boy, as if to protect him from the accusation. "Why would he withhold anything? We're all on the same side here." That was true.

"I think Super Boy left something out of his report," Batman inclined. He had noticed something lacking in the report, than cemented his conclusions in observation. He wasn't certain though. That was until Super Boy crossed his arms.

"It's not – I didn't mean to withhold information," Super Boy stuttered. He growled, straightening his spine to deliver a further report. "It doesn't make much sense," he warned.

Her mentor wasn't impressed, "Every little indication is important, Super Boy."

Super Boy worked his jaw. He felt embarrassed, uncertain and rather indignant to be shoved into a corner. "I know that," he said, "It was just a feeling. Like, I'd recognized his moves from somewhere else or someone else." He shrugged again.

Batman's gaze narrowed, "From where?"

"From Robin," he glared, "And I know that doesn't make sense so I didn't add it in."

Jason swore over their communications but he didn't sound all too upset about it. " _You fool, Todd_ ," Damian growled. He was worried at any step Batman would get closer to them. Jason snorted a quip on his lips only halted by their incognito status.

"Like me?" Robin asked, voice far too high pitched for her brother. Super Boy nodded.

Kid Flash bounced forward, ever exuberant, "You think Rob had something to do with this?"

" _Uh_ ," Timmy's grunt didn't sound all that promising. " _We might have a problem in a few seconds_." Cassandra heard his fingers typing across his computer glove, " _Security systems about to reboot, I'll try to get a handle on it – stay hidden_ ," he clarified.

" _Not good, so not good_ ," her best friend groaned.

"No," Super Boy was saying, his voice rose, agitated with the attention and accusations he perceived. "It was just a stupid idea that I had, that he fought like Robin but that's all I left out." He was upset, anxious to not be his Team's downfall.

He wouldn't be. It was their security system that was ensuring Cassandra be forced to use excessive methods.

An alarm whirred to life, "Intruder alert! C3 – 12, unknown – "It abruptly cut off, switching to a lighter alarm and "Bay doors open," it chimed. Batman and the Team didn't move, chilled into inaction while Cassandra stilled in a shadow.

"Batman," Robin hissed. His Team having already formed a perimeter for all the entrances beside them, "Isn't alert C3 – 12 to signify multiple intruders inside the ventilation system?" They'd been found.

"It is," Batman growled. A bat-a-rang whizzed to her location and Cassandra dodged, speeding through the systems towards a more defensible position. She didn't know where this was at the current point but Cassandra would find it.

She was partially aware that Canary screeched, having spotted Jason from where he'd hidden and with a curse he'd jumped out and engaged in combat. " _I'm coming,_ " Stephanie hissed and Jason's sarcastic gratitude was cut off.

Cassandra had company, not through the ventilation system Batman and the Team had divided. " _I'm cutting lights_ ," Tim bolted, his footfalls loud as he relocated and darkness warmed over.

The flickering red lights the only illuminating source, Cassandra spotted her mentor's bounding shadow dashing beneath her and dodged his projectiles slinking through the metal. " _Canary down_ ," Stephanie alerted and whispered, " _Sorry_ ," to the prone form.

" _Blackie_ ," Tim informed, " _Batman, Artemis and Robin are on your heels. Can you lead them towards the living area?_ " duh. " _Spoiler, Hood you're about to be intercepted by Kid Flash lead him to there as well. Demon?"_ he checked.

" _I'll intercept the others and lead them to Cain's location_ ," Damian growled.

Jason snickered, " _Pretender's taking charge – fine! I'll shut it."_ Stephanie must have punched him and the smile was in Tim's voice when he continued.

" _Robin's trying to hack me back so keep the line clean_ ," Tim informed.

" _Wouldn't want the kid to have nightmares,"_ Jason muttered.

Damian's growl crackled over the line and Cassandra smiled. It was good to be doing something as a family; Bruce would be displeased to miss it.

It required a little back track, though that could have easily been governed as Cassandra searching for an exit. The living area, also the lounging area was beside the kitchen with a narrow hallway leading into it. It was the perfect location for a bottle necked attack.

Robin seemed aware of this, "They're playing us!" he hissed to Batman.

Her mentor had such belief that he could defeat Cassandra that he didn't even pause as the long narrow corridor came up, crashing through the blinds of the air shaft where it smashed to tiles.

The room was dark, only flashing red lights attempting to give away her position. Batman was first through the hallway, Robin quick on his heel and Artemis guarding their back should it be a trick or her accomplice's returns.

Cassandra launched at her mentor and knocked him down in three moves. He crashed, twisting away from her knockout blow and a loud crash from behind stole his attention for a fraction of a second, which was all Cassandra needed to incapacitate him.

Batman thudded onto the kitchen tiles and Robin attacked, "Artemis!" She swiveled and Cassandra swiped down arrows as Robin attempted to keep her occupied, attacking her face with high kicks until a secondary thudding crash rocketed Kid Flash into the hallway.

Cassandra took that second to leap away, hiding in the shadows of the ceiling while Artemis helped Kid Flash up, "What's going on out there?" she rasped.

"It was like a mini Rob from hell," Kid Flash panted, rocking back onto his feet. Artemis took sentry position, "Is that Batman? Why is Batman knocked out?" he freaked.

"Whoever these copycats are their missing out on my winning personality," Robin cajoled. Cassandra knocked the fruit bowl off the counter to heighten their bodies muscle responses and hopefully cut down on confrontation time.

"I might just agree with you on that one," Kid Flash wiped a trickle of blood from his mouth. "We got to wake Bats up…" he began.

Damian grumbled, " _Incoming_ ," as a small diameter explosion shuddered into the hallway revealing Ms. Martian skidding backwards, caught only by Artemis' quick fingers. " _Aqua Lad is down_ ," Damian alerted.

"Anyone else feeling like this is D-rate horror movie," Kid Flash mentioned, words blending together as he vibrated with nerves. "Because I'm feeling it, and it's not a good feeling," he concluded.

"KF, I'd shut up round about now," Robin gnashed back.

Kid Flash bolted into the darkened hallway, "I got this," he chimed, attempting to be confident. Cassandra should have told him he really don't got this. "I don't got this," Kid Flash grunted, flung backwards into his teammates as Super Boy crashed into him. "Dude, eat less," Kid Flash groaned beneath Super Boy.

Super Boy growled at him, staggering onto his feet, head tipped with vertigo.

Cassandra should end this before the children are further traumatized and also before Damian's confidence in battle skyrocketed. She didn't want to give them nightmares after all, "How about you show yourself and we go easy on your copy cat behind?" Robin taunted.

He was scared though. His mind instantly translating it to determination to get his Mentor and friends from harm's way; this was something that would not change with the years Cassandra was glad to learn. Stephanie was correct though he was very cute at this age, only a child but a child of her elder brother.

That's not what she meant. Words were difficult and unclear, movement wasn't.

Cassandra launched from her shadowed perch, cape spread like a blanket of doom, mask ever stitched into a nightmare and descended upon the children. It was over before they could truly panic. Because it was never the Robins you had to fear, it was the Bats. And Cassandra was an excellent Bat.


	5. Timothy Drake-Wayne

He kept typing out the algorithms to locate the information they required as bodily thuds and high pitched grunts sounded from the enclosed corridor of the living area. Tim was really glad it wasn't him in there.

Conner was still his best friend and anyone beating the crap out of him was not an image he wanted. Not that Tim hadn't beaten the crap out of him a few times but that was different.

Tim did the beating then, now? It was a bit awkward and Tm wasn't needed so logically there was no need to slow down their trajectory to help Cassie and the Demon who really did not need help.

Well, Cassandra wouldn't need help.

He absently cut off the Zeta-Tube from the others – they didn't want further unwanted company – and kept hacking the severely lacking protocols for the Bat Computer. They'd really reconfigured the Computer since, well, later on in time.

Once inside, he sent off viruses that would slow the Computer down though not be permanently shut while he searched for what they required. Bruce's data on the Chaos Shards were disastrously miniscule; he hadn't researched them much except an initial report of existence.

However he did manage to locate a name of the man in charge of the experimentation on the Shards, a one Dr. Carter of Central City with a residence inside of Metropolis. Dr. Carter's computers weren't hard to locate, though they were the extensive variety and Tim scowled, wishing he could pull up a seat and have a few spare hours.

"You got what we need Pretender?" Jason waltzed over. Tim didn't know how many times he'd told Jason his name was Tim, not Pretender, not Replacement and definitely not Tambourine.

Idiot, "Read this," Tim opened another holographic window to set Jason onto another file. "We're looking for a way to control or at least direct the Chaos Shards abilities to do what we want without burning up." Jason holstered his gun, took off his helmet and started scanning.

"We're going to ride this thing back?" his eyes sped behind the domino mask. He had to be a quicker reader than Tim, which was really all Tim could ask for at this point.

Tim barely nodded, trying to catch his gaze on the right collection of words to indicate that the good Doctor had inkling on how to control the Shard. At the moment it was nearly all theories with no physical experimentation. Usually this type of patience in science would be welcome, but in fact, it was extremely irritating.

Jason muttered, "This guy just jabbers," flicking a finger to scroll down further.

"What's the hold up?" Stephanie bounced down from the rafters as Cassandra and Damian began dragging heroes across the large open space and into the training room to hold them captive and distracted should they awaken. "Sure, don't tell me – I'll find out sooner or later, not going to bite me in the perfect ass or anything."

Tim winced. She hadn't been like that earlier had she? Tim was having trouble recalling where his tenor as Robin had eradicated his civilian life and hers until they were both manipulative and smug know-it-alls. Or, more likely, he was projecting, again.

There wasn't time for this. Tim shook his head from those thoughts and kept reading as Cassandra clapped her hands from the heroes and Damian insisted, "You must teach me that maneuver." Yeah, teaching the devil child more attacks was the right way to go.

Jason tapped the screen, "Ah, I got it – Tim-boo read it." At least that was better than the others.

Tim scanned the passages with an ever growing scowl.

"Yeah, that's what I said," Jason grumbled.

"What?" Stephanie crossed her arms and Tim squeezed his fists because he couldn't run a hand through his hair with the cowl. "As long as it doesn't require a virgin sacrifice we'll do it," she intoned.

Demon opened his gob, and yeah, that wasn't going to cut it.

"It's not a virgin sacrifice," Jason responded. He scratched the stubble starting on his jaw, "We should be able to power up a portal with shard we got. Just it's not the safest idea out there considering the unlimited power of that thing which we have no real clue how it works."

"Look," Tim shrugged, "We'll try and hook it up, we'll test that it can swallow physical matter and keep them whole; and then sort this mess out from the other side."

Damian scowled, "That's hardly a sound plan, Drake." Stephanie cuffed his shoulder for the usage of names in the field and Demon growled up at her. Stephanie smiled sweetly down.

Tim completely agreed. "Yeah, well it's what we got, unless you know of a way to open dimensions without alerting the League?"

"Why not alert?" Cassandra tried.

Jason answered, not liking it any more than the others. "Because we'd be forced to await their approval to move – if they even know to open dimensions in his world – and we're on a time limit here."

Stephanie nodded quickly, "They wanted us out the picture."

"Yeah," Tim turned back to the hologram to begin configurations, "And we still don't know for what."

Stephanie and Jason went to pick up the Chaos Shard. All of them secretly working to ensure Damian didn't get too close to it. They didn't know how it'd react to the energy that had legitimately brought him back from the dead with a super powered freebie.

Tim worked and worked, and Cassandra guarded and guarded, and Damian spied and jumped into the calculations. It was quicker working together, attempting to factor in their physical forms and not accidently leave anything metaphysical behind.

They were essentially creating a mother box to cross into their dimension which would be powered by the Chaos Shard. They didn't have the simple technical data on their side which meant they were going to have to rely on something more alien and unpredictable than that.

Tim really didn't like the position they were in. And Tim really didn't like Damian second guessing all his calculations. Okay, the kid was good with numbers but it was ridiculous the scrutiny he put into finding – or not finding more like – the flaws.

Cassandra tilted her head, "They're awake," she alerted.

Tim cursed and Damian tensed, sinking his scowling head further towards the holograph as he typed out data. Spoiler and Hood had entered through the Bay doors and Cassandra shut it behind them, taking her vigil at the stimulation's rooms monitor bay.

She didn't know what scenario she'd set up but it was causing a lot of explosions and Canary's cry ricocheted from beneath the seams. Tim was just glad Cassandra had stolen utility belts, or they'd have less time than anticipated. "That bad?" Jason chimed.

Tim stole the case off him, opening it up to wire it up to the holographic computer which sizzled red before stabilizing to a potent brightness. "Open the Zeta-Beam," he ordered, "Let's update this dimension."

For once Damian didn't argue, or complain, or even scowl that viciously. He was really was growing up, to an insufferable adult but still, he wasn't as pompously brattish as before.

Jason monitored the download to the Zeta-Beam, its edges crackling with crimson electricity. "Is that a good thing?" he asked, and Tim really didn't know. It's not like he'd done this before.

Cassandra rushed from the monitor room's doors and Jason muttered, "That's not good." And the stimulations heavy steel doors flew off their hinges with a piercing Canary Cry.

There wasn't time to dim the lights. There wasn't enough time for the download bar to be complete. There wasn't even long enough to think of a solution of their identities. It'd all come together, and even Jason – whose biker jacket had hidden the Bat emblem on his chest – had left his jacket open.

They might just be screwed.

Cassandra was their obstacle, short yet imposing and absolutely terrifying for those she'd just taken down in mere seconds. Well, the sooner they left the better and Tim continued typing out the directions, searching for their world in the countless number of dimensions.

"That wasn't very nice," Robin – as in their older brother not so old – gritted out. His voice was so high pitched that wasn't really what he was expecting, "You know I don't think I want to know why you're doing this."

Jason's guns perked up, brandished on Canary and Batman. This was going to get so bad so very quickly, "Yeah – sorry if I'm not balling my eyes out." Cassandra tilted slightly in her position, closer to Jason to knock his guns out should he do something unfortunate.

Tim just had to work, just work and they'd get out of here on time.

"What are you doing?" Batman growled and Tim almost halted on instinct. When he sounded like that it was clue Tim might just be banned from the Cave. Tim really hoped their Batman didn't figure out what they'd done. There had to have been a more logical way to go about this.

Jason didn't respond but like, none of them would have to be honest. "You're looking quite rumpled Bats, you positive you don't want to sit this one out? What about your kiddies, don't you think it's a little past their bedtime?" he waved a gun at the tense Young Justice Team.

"We'll be gone soon," Cassandra added, head tilted like her lips had never moved. She really embraced being a Bat.

At least the program for the Zeta-Beam was finished downloading, and Tim quirked a lip as the Zeta-Beam crackled to life. "Hey, stop that!" Kid Flash zoomed past and Jason reacted, shooting at his feet so he was forced to dodge, skidding into a nearby wall.

Stephanie trapped him to her front with a Bat-a-rang to his throat, "I don't want to use this, alright? We just want to finish and you'll never see us again," she promised. And Tim saw her take the words into account before switching them around, "Well, you'll never see us–us again more like another us."

Kid Flash couldn't turn his head but he didn't look all to upset. Tim might just leave a poisonous cookie lying around.

"Dude," Jason groaned and Stephanie shrugged, pulling a face barely visible beneath her gossamer hood. Jason scratched his head with his gun, "Look, welcome to the multiverse, stay in your lane," he twisted to stare at the others, "Am I missing something?"

Damian's scowl scorned Jason, his arms tightly crossed, "As usual, Hood." Jason sucked in a deep breath for the will to keep his bullets for criminals, "We're not here to harm the inhabitants of the world." That was surprisingly couth for Damian, "Unless they get in our path."

There it was.

Tim was actually pretty grateful in that second that the form of Imp suddenly appeared beside Damian, with a deftly raised palm and a call of, "You've betrayed, Master."

Jason grinned, "Finally. Something I can shoot."

Mount Justice trembled and that was truly, truly bad. Without the portal they'd have to find another, and they might just be stranded here for good until the Justice League decided they could be trusted.

Chaos ensured, and that pun was a nice addition.

Imp dodged Damian's attack, flickering into existence beside Conner and Jason raised his gun, "Kon!" Tim yelled on instinct. He had to get them out of here now. This universe wasn't prepared to handle someone from the 5th dimension.

Superman was barely capable of handling someone from the fifth dimension.

Imp multiplied rapidly, and quite suddenly there were about fifty Imps all standing in existence. They didn't look all too happy, they charged Stephanie and Cassandra fought through them until they puffed from existence.

There were tons of others, some armed with knives others without and Tim really had to protect the hologram screen and the chaos shard. Luckily Damian had taken it upon himself to guard them both, leaving Tim mostly protected by proxy while he searched for their dimension. "What is this thing?" Artemis Crock yelled.

"An Imp, from the fifth dimension – yeah my thoughts exactly – this one in a twizzle because we wouldn't hand over that shard to his Master," Stephanie shouted. She kicked Imp in the head, "Even when we said we'd help him get free!"

It was definitely out of place that Tim thought she looked amazing.

"Focus lover boy," Jason chimed.

Rude, "Got you," Tim hissed as he clicked their universe, and the Zeta-Beam sizzled with electricity, a bright light imploded from its center blinding the occupants for a second to simmer into a low burn. Tim grinned, "Let's move!" with a few commands the portal would remain stable.

Imp shrieked, "Master decreed you would not leave!" Maybe they shouldn't have pissed off an imp from the fifth dimension, well it was too late.

This dimensions occupants were helping, throwing punches to blow the Imp's into hissing steam and causing enough of a diversion to let his family inch closer towards the portal. They had to find the real Imp, bring him back with them, "Blackie!"

Cassandra's head snapped to the side, reading all his intentions with the tilt of her head and she scanned, dodging and leaping over grabbing Imps to survey from a higher point. Tim disarmed an Imp beside him and Cassandra dashed from her position into the shadows where a thud of a body was heard and all the Imps halted, expression blankly dazed and instantaneously puffed out of existence.

That was a relief.

Cassandra dragged Imp forward by the robe, depositing him Jason's grasp to make him drop the guns. "You could have just asked," Jason grunted.

"I was," Cassie grinned beneath her tight mask and she patted Jason's shoulder as he grumbled. Tim double checked that Imp hadn't dislodged the portal in the time that had spared and waved a hand around, a universal Bat Sign for 'let's move out'.

"Wait, wait!" Robin – his elder brother that was – bounced forward, "You're just leaving? You didn't even tell us who you are or what the hell is going on!" His waving arms flopped to his sides, "Come on, tell me," Robin insisted.

Stephanie popped in front of Robin, cradling his cheeks with a beaming squeal, "You're so cute and tiny!" Tim would have been jealous if the fact didn't seem to pain her, "Ex!" Stephanie yelled – which was always what he wanted to be called, "You got a camera on you right? Can I?" she made grabby hands.

Tim exhaled, "We really should be going." He took out his thumbnail camera – he couldn't just say no, he wanted the proof too – throwing it to Stephanie who caught it just as Robin flew back.

"You're not taking my picture," Robin crossed his arms. Kid Flash snickered and Artemis elbowed him, not without failing to wipe the grin off her own lips.

Stephanie had kneeled, "Come on. Don't you think our…Robin wouldn't want proof of his tiny counterpart or you know potential black mail material we can use." She nodded, "Please, take one for the team he's got stuff on all of us."

"That's true," Jason tagged on, "Perks of being Daddy's first." Tim probably had more. He might have been a little obsessed with his heroes growing up and he would do everything to make certain they didn't figure that out.

Damian pulled a face at Jason's language. "One condition," Robin mentioned and Batman outright glared at his first protégé, "I want to know who you guys are, real names. Just so I can look out for you here," Robin grinned cheekily and Tim sure remembered that from the old photos.

"That's not a good idea, Robin," Batman intoned.

"But it could be," Robin returned. He eyed Stephanie, "What say you? Good idea, I think it's great. It's not like it'll mess anything up, alternative realities right? What you do here won't change anything that should be changed, you guys will be part of our squad quicker – everyone wants to be part of the squad."

"Oh, that's really not a good idea," Jason muttered. He positioned the Imp over his shoulder and Cassandra tilted her head to scrutinize Robin.

"I approve of it," Demon called out. He would be alright with it, probably try to convince Bruce the rest of them were unnecessary. He continued, "My mother is Talia Al Ghul, I suggest you find me before my fifth birthday. It will be best for everyone involved."

Now there was a tale. Damian had probably committed his first murder at that age and that he didn't want that to happen here was somewhat admirable for a Demon Brat.

The Young Justice Team, Batman and Black Canary didn't take the news with enthusiasm. They didn't outright dismiss the knowledge, which might actually prove good for the future.

Maybe Bruce finding the Demon Brat before he would truly become the Demon Brat would save a whole lot of medical trips. "Such a bad idea," Jason winningly concluded, shaking his head.

But none of them stepped up to stop Damian.

"Only Cain is worth our blood," Demon continued and well, Tim definitely still felt that aggravation. "I wouldn't bother with the others they're rather lacking in skills and quality and intellect…" Jason's loud growl blurred the rest of his words much to Demon's disapproval.

Tim glowered at the Demon, "You're only proving my point, Dead," Damian retorted.

Stephanie held up the camera with a loud exhale, "I just wanted a picture, Munchkin. We didn't need the whole better-than-thou vibe, it's a real downer."

"We don't need a picture," Tim waved it away; "Hood's probably got some dirt."

"Do you?" Stephanie questioned with an asking grin.

Jason's crooked grin took a distinctive sharp quality and Tim would have to find that stash of blackmail. "Well," he clapped, "We should really be going before this little destroyer of worlds' of ours wakes up. It wasn't lovely meeting you and all that, really don't stay in touch."

He swiveled on his heel to the portal and gestured for the others to start walking in. Stephanie pouted at the camera, quickly snapping a picture of Robin – "Hey!" before darting away and handing it back to Tim.

"I feel like such a stalker," Stephanie whispered to Tim as she ruffled Damian's hair and snatched her hand back before it was eaten.

"It'll be a great picture," Tim praised and Stephanie beamed. Yeah, he'd do a lot to keep her smiling like that.

Damian checked back at his much younger Father and floated through the portal, disappearing in a sea of icy blue. "Remind me again how you became Robin," Jason perked up.

"Shut it, Hood," Tim mumbled, shoving Jason's arm as he was swallowed by the portal. Stephanie waved a hand in farewell, beaming behind her gossamer mask and leaped after her ex.

Jason saluted two fingers from his temple, "Stay outta trouble and all that," he bounded into the portal. Imp disappearing upon his shoulder as well.

Cassandra remained, eyeing the occupants to bow her head in respect, grin through her skin tight mask and launch through the portal.

Once the final one departed the portal spat and sizzled, whirring down into an overworked Zeta-Beam. It was silent for a few good moments and then Robin nudged Batman, "I want one."

Batman stared at his protégé with exasperation but that wasn't a no. Robin beamed.

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 _A/N: you guys want an epilogue because im working a couple other stuff, and if you do, what do you want to see from Bats POV or Young Justice side? you know i think i will do an epilogue...what though, that is the question - review please let me know what you liked!_


	6. Dick Grayson

_A/N:_

 _You know out of the whole story, this is probably my favorite chapter and it also a really vivid sneak peak into another AU i've got on the drawing board. Tell me what ya'll think :) and I hope you enjoyed reading this! - oh, there should have another Batman fic coming out soon, Jason's POV and really wasn't suppoused to be as long as it's turning out to be. Anyway, enjoy! :)_

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At first, in all honesty, Dick didn't know what to think. It's not like there was a handbook when it came to siblings crashing in from the multiverse. He might write one, when he had time, which he didn't so eh, whatever.

After the whole ordeal, it was a little dodgy, Batman was occupied in League Meetings and Dick had a lot of free time while the oldies updated their databases and discussed all the new protocols that would have to be set in play.

It would be weeks until the touch of his siblings was even mentioned in a thorough setting. Not that Dick allowed that to stop him, he already knew Bruce was searching for other Robin – Son of Talia Al Ghul. Dick wasn't an idiot.

So Dick set his sights on the others, hoping and wondering if they could bring them into the fold at little sooner. He'd told Mum and Dad for years he would be an amazing older brother and knowing that he'd get the chance to be was kinda life changing and fantastic.

He would be the best older brother.

From the Other Robin's presumed alternative universe age – that was a mouthful – and the fact that he was before his fourth birthday in this universe; Dick managed to get approximate ages. He racked his brain for other defining qualities, accents and stances, hair color and lit.

Overall, he didn't have that much to go on, which was a gosh-darned shame because this would be harder for him. Even though it was completely expected, any siblings of his would be amazing, hey they probably trained together, and if Dick was the eldest that meant that maybe he helped train them too.

Definitely an intriguing avenue to look down, Dick couldn't wait.

He started compiling lists, fixing in the time to cross-references databases and research in between patrol, cases, school work, sleep and team meetings, which was basically just them hanging out. It had become a clubhouse, Batman better not think that'd play over once this was all cleared.

It wasn't difficult to understand how he found the second to youngest sibling first, the kid practically walked up to his doorstep behind his Nanny's knee with a request from Mr. Wayne to care for the kid just for the evening while the nanny was at a family emergency.

Dick had skipped in from behind Alfred, "We'd love to," he beamed.

Tim Drake spared him a shy grin, until he found Dick and his baby blues widened. From then on, it was like Timmy had to hold back an ecstatic squeal – the kid was (and he was cool enough to say it) freaking adorable.

Dick wanted to adopt him straight out. Well, no Bruce wanted to adopt him straight out, if only he'd get back from that meeting.

Alfred sent out a call to Bruce while Dick sequestered with Timmy into one of the lounges to watch cartoons and show off acrobatics. The kid was amazingly well-spoken, a genius amongst seven year olds (and most of the people in Dick's class) and talked with him about really anything that came to mind in excited poise.

A couple hours before Timmy was set to leave, the kid legit burst the lid on what had kept him all sparkly eyed when Dick did acrobatics. He knew. As in, nearly seven year old Timmy knew the secret the big bad world would kill and had killed to hear.

If he had any doubts, they vanished and Dick beamed, hugging Timmy to him while they watched cartoons and didn't let go. Bruce found them about an hour after that and Dick waved him over, mouthing "he knows" over Timmy's shoulder which everyone heard.

"I hope you've had fun here Timothy," Bruce mentioned, settling in beside Dick to ruffle his hair. Even further wide eyed, Tim nodded.

Dick gestured, "It's him," he signaled. Bruce arched an eyebrow, sliding his gaze over to Timmy and as the seconds trickled on Dick watched the observation became intrigue become endearment. Jackpot, "Can we keep him?" Bruce was clearly exasperated and Timmy squeaked. "Fine, can I babysit again? I'm really good at it, right? Timmy, back me up," he nudged.

Timmy dutifully nodded, "He is, sir. I wouldn't mind coming again," he imparted shyly.

Bruce smiled, "Then we'll set something up," he rose, stretching his head over his arms. "Did you do your homework?" he asked Dick, who winced. "Do your homework before we go out tonight. It was great meeting you Timothy," Bruce called over his shoulder as he left, "Try not to watch TV all day."

"I couldn't even if I wanted to," Dick muttered, and they got down to it. Timmy had brought worksheets and papers to do so he wouldn't be in the way and Dick dutifully helped while he could, their workload gushing over into school stories and into some team times Dick could indulge.

Before Dick knew it, Timmy was coming every Thursday after school and whenever Dick just walked next door for some company. He had his own room, right next to Dick's and he filled it with pictures, books and the comforter he preferred from the library that Alfred had let him keep.

It got to the point that Dick expected to see him at breakfast, his hair ruffled by Bruce while the other yawned into his hand before his morning coffee. It felt really good, like the rooms in the house were filling up with energy and it was amazing.

Dick didn't stop there; he still spread out what he knew and delved into this research. He was narrowing on down to his sister dressed in black – having noted the other was a family friend (and Timmy's Ex) – figuring she had to have been trained intensely from an extremely young age and knew the only people with that kind of one-eyed compassionless determination to produce fighting extremists were the League of Assassins.

Batman went on a mission to find the Other Robin. Only to come home empty handed and poisoned. Dick was really glad that relationship with Talia was over.

Batman didn't stop there though, he went out – alone again; Robin was here for a reason – and as Dick sat researching another case Batman returned with a toddler cradled in to his Kevlar. "Is that…" he whispered, launching out to look at the tiny little toddler in Batman's hands.

"Damian," Bruce finished. His smile soft and warm, Dick didn't ever think he'd seen Bruce like that – like he was afraid to break someone and still whole-heartedly willing to be the softness that protected them from breaking. He'd never seen it like that. This was a softer version of the look Bruce bestowed Dick.

And it was really amazing to see, like another side of Bruce he'd only heard about but never fully gathered intelligence on.

Bruce crouched so Dick could peer at his baby brother, his nose scrunched at the jostle and his inky dark lashes fluttering open to find them. "Hey, little D'," Dick greeted in awe, "He's so small," he muttered.

Damian snuffled at him, bright orbs finding and thick eyebrows twisting as if he didn't understand what was going on but he wasn't all against it. "I'll set up a room for the young Master," Alfred alerted from the stairs, heading back up them and Dick skimmed his knuckles over Damian's bundled form.

"Welcome home, little D'," Dick grinned at the toddler.

Damian blinked hugely and smiled back.

Getting used to Damian was harder than being with Timmy; Damian got a lot of attention and demanded even more of it. Usually though, all you really needed was to bring him into a cuddle and he stopped whatever he was wailing at to sniffle and find your face.

Bruce stayed out of League missions, cancelled patrols and regular Wayne business meetings when he could. He was so overwhelmed by Damian it was actually pretty funny but he wasn't looking for an escape, in fact, he kept wanting to help more, feed Damian breakfast and be there when he waddled about and babbled inconsistent words.

It was pretty great.

Dick had been in the bat Cave, Damian chewing on a teething toy with sloppy grunts in Dick's lap when he'd found his next lead. Bruce had whole-heartedly been up for pooling their jotted down data together to find the rest of his siblings but he'd been out on patrol and Dick had been left to babysit.

He got word of David Cain's sudden reappearance into Assassin Game and found word of his involvement in a character known as 'the-one-who-is-all' which sounded ominous and god-like. Very Bat of them and Dick tried to get on this 'one-who-is-all' tail but found zilch.

Safe to mention when Bruce got back, he and Dick came up with a plan and Bruce and Dick set out on a holiday trip to East Europe while Alfred babysat. He wasn't expecting how much he missed the little munchkin when he wasn't around and he could tell it affected Bruce as well, he kept shuffling as if anticipating the sound of Damian in the background and was worried when he couldn't find it.

After that, Batman paid Cain a visit, collected clues along the way and basically beat the man up to pulp when Cain admitted to the abuse that perpetrated his sister's life. Dick hoped he wouldn't get up for a long, long time.

Batman returned, Kevlar bloodied and with several leads, their resources going out to locate any trace of a small Asian girl with a bloodied pink dress escaping the crime scene.

In the end, they did find her.

Explaining that they were there to help was a bit more difficult and she was vicious when she spotted their intent and training in their moves. But she never got close to lethal plots; chest heaving and backed into corner, Dick knew they were doing this all wrong.

Dick yanked off his domino mask and raised his palms in surrender.

Cassandra Cain blinked underneath her matted locks, her stance relaxing in confusion as Dick spoke with a smile, "We've been looking for you a long time. And we get that you don't understand us right now but we don't want to hurt you," he lowered his hands. "I promise," he stepped forward and Cassandra stepped to meet him.

She made a hand sign which Dick didn't understand, Batman did though and he returned it, extending a hand on the way out. Her inquisitive orbs found Bruce's and the fight fled her form, an anxious and excited smile taking its place.

Cass was great and he wasn't just saying that.

He got real good at sensing her because Cass' walk was naturally silent. Every so often, Al could be heard startling when he turned to find Cass there. She didn't do it on purpose but Dick was really glad Cass was in on the secret because his paranoia might have hit Batman levels.

Most of the time, Cass trailed Bruce around the house and watched over Damian, and while she never said a single word Dick understood her actions well enough. And yeah, it's not like they could hold a conversation just yet but they were getting there, Dick chattered and Cass answered with little twitches of facial features.

He was really good at reading her, not like Bruce who seemed to just understand instinctively but in the 'I'm going to keep trying until we understand each other' sense.

She and Timmy got along amazingly good as well, sliding together like two pairs of a machine that waited to be complete. Tim seemed to have the words Cassandra lacked, and Cassandra the actions to fix anything Tim's words couldn't.

Not once or twice, Cass would find him after a particularly brutal mission or training session and just huddle into his side; dragging a blanket to cover them both while he finished homework. "Love you too, Cass," he murmured back and Cassie smiled.

The Manor was kind of hectic from that point on.

Not in the bad sense, it was actually amazing. There was always someone to go to if Bruce was out and Al was occupied, and the place still wasn't full, only lived in.

Even Alfred couldn't clean up after a toddler 24/7 and nearly the entire Manor got baby proofed, which thankfully allowed Bruce to stop hosting those gala's none of them liked. It made it a lot homier, the bright plastic and strewn toys and toddler babble that was forming into words.

Cass drew a lot, her attempts to form words shifting again into movements and actions that she attempted to name. She was amazingly good, dynamic and colorful and when Dick mentioned they reminded him of dancers, Cassie stayed awake until midnight to watch dancing videos online.

Cassie picked up the tablet and pointed at the videos to Bruce, "You want to dance?" he asked and Cassie brightened with a nod. Bruce set down his pen, Damian snuffling from where he slept in his lap, "What type?"

She picked Ballet and didn't turn back.

Damian babbled to the stuffed hippo, crayons scribbling over cardboard on the carpet while Cassie practiced her forms beside him, deftly twirling and laying grace into her soft movements.

He understood why Cassie had picked Ballet to fall into full throttle, it was as intense and graceful as the martial arts she'd been raised on with an added softness and a purpose of entertainment instead of murder. Perfect for Cassie, but it wasn't as though she didn't broaden her dance horizons.

The night Dick insisted hip hop was the way to go was burned into his brain, and Timmy's camera, which only one of those made it out alive. Dick had salvaged two pictures though and they hung proudly in Timmy's room on the corkboard he'd set.

Sometimes he caught Cassie staring at Timmy's picture with a funny little smile on her face that Dick couldn't read yet.

It was again, pretty awesome.

It's hard to explain why though exactly, they didn't always get along, understandably but after a while, Dick knew they'd still be there in the morning and all would be smothered over. Their presence was integrated into the Manor and Dick could barely recall a time when it was quiet.

He didn't want it to be quiet. It just felt weird.

And as time kept flying, Dick started to forget the pieces he'd learned from his multiverse siblings and his memories with his actual siblings overriding and enhanced in their place.

He didn't forget the others. Just the memories weren't as bright and he really loved the siblings he had. He didn't want to ruin anything, or focus on someone else when they were already here.

Dick didn't stop searching though.

He knew for fact that the oldest was from around Crime Alley; there was a certain accent that just couldn't be faked. Records in Crime Alley though were sparse, incomplete and generally littered with misdemeanors. So instead, Dick kept an extra eye out for rambunctious kid's younger than him.

Not many kids spoke up round Crime Alley but Dick didn't get the impression Hood was a quiet one.

"Get your fucking hands off me, perverted shit-stain! You fucking swore you'd tell me what happened to my dad," Someone yelled. Robin landed on a fire escape, finding a duo of Two-Face's thugs hauling some kid back from a ominously locked door.

Robin alerted Batman to his location as the kid got thrown down, "Get the fuck outta here, kid, you got what we wanted." The goon that tossed him returned to his post, leaning against the door with a cigarette beside his partner.

The kid growled, a tire-iron suddenly in his fist, "You said the last time you saw my Dad was nine fucking months ago. Tell me, what you fucking saw," the kid demanded but he was desperate, and don't mess with wild strays in an alley they know the turf and will do anything to survive.

Course, that didn't do much good.

Robin caught the kid when he was tossed back again, tire-iron cluttering to the side while he set the kid on his feet. "You might want to run," Robin shrugged at the duo of goons just as a dark, foreboding figure plopped in front of them.

While Batman took care of that, Dick eyed the kid, already half poised to bolt into shadows, chest heaving and orbs wide. Dick relaxed his shoulders, "You alright?" he checked, and the kid glared at him.

Next second, the kid's heading into the shadows and vanished inside there.

To give chase or not to give chase, that truly is the question. Batman's gotten the thugs to talk though and one shouts, "Kid's Pa – Willis! Willis Todd backstabbed Two-Face – Two-Face took care of that traitor-!" Batman took care of that.

They should probably tell the kid.

Dick tailed the kid's escape; he backtracked twice until he found a rundown apartment, lit with a flickeringly dim light bulb that illuminated the strewn, worn out paperbacks and a mattress that had seen better days.

He entered through the window, spotting the kid on the edge of the mattress, a book in his lap and a cigarette between his fingers. "You know those things will kill you," Robin gestured, and the kid yelped.

"Fuck," the cigarette unlit inside his fist, "I haven't got the dosh! I gave it to those assholes in trade for info about my dad."

Robin raised his hands in surrender, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Just wanted to tell you what Batman figured," Robin plopped onto the lumpy mattress beside him. The kid was tense, frozen and wasn't backing down, he sat, suspicious and desperate at the same time.

"What'd they say?" he questioned.

There wasn't a really easy way to say it so Robin just came out with it, keeping his voice soft. He didn't expect the kid to snicker, "At least the bastard didn't end all shitty," arms wrapped around his knees. His teal eyes were sincere, "Thanks for telling me."

Robin shrugged, twisting his fingers in his lap, "It's what I do. Well, the helping people bit…what's your name?" he asked. Batman should arrive soon; maybe he'd finally be able to sense him.

"Jason Todd," he muttered, grinning absently into his knee caps, "Nice to fucking meetcha." His speech patterns were familiar and Dick got the inkling this was his missing brother.

"I'm Robin," he grinned. Robin pointed behind Jason, "That's Batman."

Jason jumped, fingers flexing, "Where's your Mum, Jason?" Batman asked, all tactful and the like. Robin rocked a bit while Jason ducked his head.

"She got sick," Jason grunted, "I'm not going into the system, no one's going to take someone like me in and I work fucking better here. I don't need to be saved," Dick believed him.

"You don't have to go into the system," Robin tried with a hesitant grin.

Batman scowled, "Robin, no."

"Oh, come on, B – he's perfect," he tilted his head, knowing he couldn't mime that he'd found the lost brother here. Batman understood as per usual and his negatives lessened to scrutinize Jason, who like he was getting picked for slaughter. "We got some room and I think you'd be a really great fit," Robin nodded.

Jason wasn't assured, "What the fuck you want from me?" he tried distancing from them, only to notice they had him from both sides.

Batman exhaled, "You want a good meal?" he asked. Jason clutched his stomach suspiciously, "You don't have to stay past that if you don't want." And Jason didn't need another second to question it.

He clambered into the Bat Mobile with them after appreciating the framework, warning them over and over again that he'd eat them out of a their house. Dick just snickered at him, roping him into a conversation about various books he'd read.

When he got the Bat Cave Alfred was already there and Jason gave a hefty whistle at him too, unbelieving that it was in fact all real. Dick totally got that. Course, when Alfred went up to retrieve food Cassie brought Damian down the stairs.

Batman had his back to them, typing information into the Bat Computer while Dick showed Jason around and reminisced over giant T-Rex's. He'd turned his head to explain about the giant card to find Jason juggling Damian in his hands and Cassie silently padding to Batman's side.

Neither Jason nor Damian looked happy about it, "Uh, B?" Dick alerted while he took Damian from Jason, the toddler's nose tucked under his chin.

Batman exhaled, blinking down at Cassie by his side. She smiled, holding onto the edge of his cape – she already knew Jason would be staying with them.

And it kind of went down like that. Jason took the room opposite his, livened the Manor up with rambunctious laughter and goading voices. He almost had as much energy as Dick and the amount of competitions the two of them did drove Bruce up the wall.

Literally at one point when he and Jason tried to hang from the highest point in the Manor and couldn't get down; it was pretty awesome. Jason was really good with Cass, had endless patience when it came to teaching her to read and never let her get down on it.

It was like the Manor was alive, bursting and rolling in the warmness that soon painted Dick's memories. From when he and Cass clambered into Bruce's bed after a bad nightmare had gotten both of them, only to find Jason and Damian already snoring in the middle and Bruce just made room, asking them about it until they both nodded off.

From when Jason attempted his first batch of pancakes and Alfred had to find the scraper to get it off the ceiling to the chorus of Cassie's laughter. She'd gotten tackled by a red-faced Jason and Timmy delicately lifted his camera from behind his newspaper to snap a couple of shots.

Dick asked for at least two copies, he kept one, gave another to Bruce – he knew, Bruce kept a personal photo album – and the last to Alfred who claimed it would receive a position of honor on his bedside table in a dry drawl; didn't mean it wasn't true though.

From when Damian really started piecing sentences together, chattering mindlessly at all hours and didn't shut off even in slumber. Jason had to be stopped three times from shoving a pacifier in the toddler's mouth at some early hour of the morning.

Cass had to manhandle Jason back into his room, piling the blankets on top of him to block out the sound and laying on top to weigh it down. It got so familiar that Dick had trouble sleeping if he didn't hear their faint murmur from Jason's room.

From when Bruce took them on an actual vacation to Barcelona, owning a beach stretch and taught Damian to swim, only to realize the kid was practically a fish, only coming up when he required air. He and Jason got into an epic volley ball tournament and Cass joined when he and Jason faced off Bruce, using all the dirty tricks they could to win.

Including tackling the other side while Dick dunked the ball on sand until Bruce got Cass and Jason to release him, "How much is that Al?" Dick beamed, finding Alfred with Damian on the blanket under a sunny umbrella.

"Master Bruce has no hope of winning, I'm afraid," Alfred informed.

Jason pumped his fists; "Victory!" he and Cass high-fived while Bruce shook off the majority of sand Jason had dumped on him. Cass laughed, swiftly clambering up Bruce's side to perch on his shoulders. "What'd we win?" Jason set his fists on his hips, cocky grin elongating when he spotted Dick at his side.

"How do we feel about ice cream?"

Brilliantly, ice cream was brilliant. And overall, Dick felt the same way about his family, brilliant but better, with an added fantastic awesomeness that satisfied any lonely end he'd ever had.

Dick kind of couldn't believe it'd all started with some psycho squad that had beaten his Team. Course they ended being his family from the multiverse, and Dick would do a lot more than thank them if they ever showed up again.

Dick got a double scoop of chunky monkey, unable to stop beaming. Jason elbowing him as he dug into bubblegum flavor, chatting at Alfred around his spoon while Cass dug into her mint chocolate, allowing Damian a lick after he finished his sorbet.

Bruce ruffled Dick's hair over Jason's shoulder, "What are you thinking about?"

That Bruce smiled a lot nowadays, like his face had relaxed from Batman's permanent scowl which figured because Batman didn't go out as much. Dick thought he'd hate it but he really didn't, Batman and Robin went out every so often but it wasn't intense, wasn't the end game.

End game was getting home before Jason played video games all night; was only leaving for patrol after Damian was tucked in for bed and Cassie (with Timmy usually) drank their hot chocolate and told Bruce about anything that came to mind.

And when Jason called Bruce 'Dad', Dick caught himself almost following suit. "Just really happy, I guess," he'd even admit to being a little teary-eyed.

"Yeah," Bruce exhaled and cast his gaze over all his children, "That's understandable." Dick licked his chunky monkey ice cream with a grin.

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 _Feedback is wholly wanted!_


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